It is necessary to periodically sterilize facilities in which microorganisms must be contained and facilities in which a degree of cleanliness must be maintained, such as clean rooms, cell processing centers for human use (CPCs), medical supplies manufacturing facilities, animal-rearing facilities (SPF animals), and biohazard rooms.
In the past, sterilization of these types of facilities has generally involved formalin fumigation, hypochlorite spraying, or glutaral application. However, the glutaral and formaldehyde that are used as disinfectants are carcinogenic, and there have been problems with residual toxicity due to their escape during wiping.
In addition, with regard to disinfection carried out by the application of chemical agent, considerable time is required for repeated application and wiping away of disinfectant after cleaning ceilings, walls, and floors. Moreover, with formalin fumigation, which has traditionally been used for sterilizing spaces, curing for preventing corrosion in installed equipment is required, and decontamination of surfaces and internal parts of installed equipment is not possible. In addition, since decontamination requires long periods of time (24 to 28 h), and a neutralization operation is also required, considerable time is needed.
Additionally, when disinfection is carried out by the application and wiping of chemical agents, although walls and floors can be disinfected, free-floating microorganisms within a space or microorganisms that are present inside or on the rear surfaces of devices that cannot be reached by hand cannot be disinfected. The effect of sterilization has thus been limited.
Consequently, no device has allowed efficient and uniform sterilization without problems with residual toxicity for a wide range of facilities such as clean rooms, cell processing centers for human use (CPCs), medical-supply-manufacturing facilities, animal-rearing facilities (SPF animals), and biohazard rooms